Paprika
A phantasmagoric sci-fi thriller that dissolves the barrier between consciousness and the surreal, weaving an exhilarating tapestry of vibrant subconscious chaos into a kaleidoscope where technology and ancient nightmares collide.
Paprika
Paprika

パプリカ

"This is your brain on anime."

01 October 2006 Japan 90 min ⭐ 7.8 (2,702)
Director: Satoshi Kon
Cast: Megumi Hayashibara, Tohru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Toru Furuya, Akio Otsuka
Animation Thriller Science Fiction
Duality of Identity The Collective Unconscious Dreams as Cinema Technology vs. Spirituality Repression and Guilt
Budget: $300,000,000
Box Office: $946,590

Paprika - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

Don't you think dreams and the Internet are similar? They are both areas where the repressed conscious mind vents.

— Paprika

Context:

Spoken to Detective Konakawa early in the film to explain the nature of her work and the world they are entering.

Meaning:

Highlights the film's core comparison between biological and digital spaces as outlets for the parts of ourselves we hide from the world.

Science is nothing but a piece of trash before a profound dream.

— Chairman Seijiro Inui

Context:

The Chairman says this while justifying his attempt to take control of the dream world and destroy the DC Mini project.

Meaning:

Reveals the villain's philosophical justification: the belief that the logic of the waking world is inferior to the infinite potential of the subconscious.

It's truth that came from fiction. Always remember that.

— Konakawa's Friend

Context:

Spoken by the projection of Konakawa's dead friend within the detective's dream as he finds closure.

Meaning:

A definitive statement on Satoshi Kon's philosophy: that even though stories and dreams are made up, the emotions and insights they provide are more real than the physical world.

I swallow everything.

— Kosaku Tokita

Context:

Repeated as a mantra when Tokita's mind begins to wander and merge with the dream parade.

Meaning:

A metaphor for Tokita's character—he consumes knowledge and food without regard for the consequences, which eventually leads to his transformation into a literal consumer of dreams.